Hearing this.
Lin Qiu rolled his eyes inwardly.
Sure enough, it was Yu Xiaogang's crooked nonsense.
That so-called "Grandmaster" was a useless twenty-nine-level Soul Master.
He'd cobbled together a heap of half-baked theories from plagiarized materials.
And he'd led both Bibi Dong and Tang San astray.
Four hundred and twenty-three years?
That was for ordinary people.
Who was Lin Qiu?
He had the Nine-Nether Ao Martial Soul.
His physical strength rivaled that of a primordial Ferocious Beast.
Four hundred years was nothing.
Even four thousand years—or forty thousand—he'd dare to absorb.
"Mom."
"I think that friend's theory is complete bullshit."
Lin Qiu straightened up.
He looked Bibi Dong in the eye.
Bibi Dong was taken aback.
She hadn't expected Lin Qiu to use such crude language.
Especially when he was talking about Yu Xiaogang.
"Why do you say that?"
Lin Qiu raised one finger.
"First of all, the human body is like a container."
"If the container is made of glass, pouring in boiling water will naturally make it shatter."
"But what if it's made of refined steel?"
"Forget boiling water—even molten iron could be held inside."
"That Grandmaster's theory was based on statistics compiled from ordinary Soul Masters."
"He's never even met a true genius. What gives him the right to define a genius's limits?"
Bibi Dong frowned slightly.
She seemed to be considering Lin Qiu's words.
"But..."
"There is no 'but.'"
Lin Qiu cut her off.
"Mom, think about it."
"If I absorb a four-hundred-year Soul Ring,"
"how powerful could my First Soul Skill be?"
"If I ran into a powerful enemy, wouldn't that First Soul Skill be useless?"
"The path I'm taking has never been walked before."
"How could I let myself be shackled by the theories of mediocre people?"
"If that Grandmaster is really so capable, why can't he break through level thirty himself?"
"Someone who's never seen the view from the mountaintop is teaching others how to climb."
"Isn't that laughable?"
One question after another.
They struck Bibi Dong's heart like heavy hammers.
She had once trusted Yu Xiaogang completely.
It was because she had been dazzled by his "talent."
But now, hearing Lin Qiu put it this way,
she suddenly felt
that perhaps he had a point.
Most of Yu Xiaogang's theories had never gone beyond the page.
But Lin Qiu was a genuine, peerless prodigy.
Measuring a prodigy by ordinary standards really was rather laughable.
Bibi Dong looked at the spirited young man before her.
A glimmer of light flashed in her eyes.
This was the son of Bibi Dong.
A boy with opinions of his own and the courage to act.
Far better than that coward who could only run away.
Without realizing it,
the image of Yu Xiaogang in her heart began to crumble.
In its place was boundless admiration for Lin Qiu.
"Fine."
"You're right."
"Mom was overthinking it."
"Theories made for mediocre people aren't worthy of my son."
"So what do you want to do?"
Lin Qiu's lips curled into a confident smile.
"My First Soul Ring."
"I want a Ten Thousand Year Soul Ring."
Bibi Dong's pupils contracted sharply.
"Ten thousand years?!"
"Are you crazy?"
"Only Titled Douluo can absorb one!"
Lin Qiu shook his head.
"Mom, trust me."
"I'm sure I can do it."
Time flew by.
Six years passed in the blink of an eye.
Behind Spirit Hall, on a sheer cliff.
A young man stood with his hands behind his back.
He wore a dark outfit, his posture straight as a pine.
His black hair streamed behind him in the wind.
His face had long since shed its childishness. His features were sharply defined, his beauty almost demonic.
An air of domineering confidence that looked down upon the world shone between his brows.
Lin Qiu was twelve years old.
He slowly opened his eyes.
Two beams of golden light shot from his pupils, piercing the sky like swords.
Boom!
A terrifying aura erupted from within him.
Level seventy-two!
A twelve-year-old Soul Saint at level seventy-two!
If word of this got out, Soul Masters across the whole continent would probably be so ashamed they'd kill themselves.
Beneath his feet,
seven Soul Rings slowly rose.
Black, black, black, black, black, red, red.
Five Ten Thousand Year Soul Rings.
Two Hundred Thousand Year Soul Rings.
This was what he'd achieved over the years.
Not a single one was below ten thousand years.
"Level seventy-two."
"Not bad, I guess."
Lin Qiu clenched his fist.
He felt the power within him surging like rivers and seas.
The dominance of his Nine-Nether Ao Martial Soul, together with the ceaseless vitality of the Chaos Green Lotus.
And on top of that, the Covering Sky Method techniques he'd acquired over the past six years by completing all sorts of bizarre system missions, such as Nine Secrets: Xing and Nine Secrets: Dou.
Now,
even without using his Martial Soul,
his physical strength alone was formidable.
Pope Palace, back garden.
The fragrance of flowers filled the air, and a gentle breeze brushed by.
Lin Qiu stood beside the flowerbeds, watching Bibi Dong prune the branches.
"Mom, I want to go out and explore."
Lin Qiu's voice broke the silence.
The scissors in Bibi Dong's hand paused slightly.
With a snip,
the head of a blooming rose was cut off and fell into the dirt.
Bibi Dong turned around.
No expression could be read on her beautiful face.
But a flash of panic flickered in her lovely eyes.
"Go out?"
"Where to?"
"The outside world is dangerous."
"You may be exceptionally talented, but you're still young. The world is treacherous, and people's hearts are hard to fathom."
"What's more, if the Two Great Empires and those sects learn of your existence, they'll do whatever it takes to kill you."
Bibi Dong set down the scissors and walked up to Lin Qiu.
She straightened his collar.
Her voice was gentle, but carried an unmistakable finality.
"Be good."
"Once you become a Titled Douluo, I won't stop you from going wherever you want."
Lin Qiu felt a little helpless.
A Titled Douluo?
How long would that take?
He might be listed as level seventy-two, but his actual combat strength had long since gone through the roof.
"Mom, I'm already level seventy-two."
"And I can protect myself."
Bibi Dong shook her head.
Her gaze was resolute.
"No."
"Unless..."
Bibi Dong paused.
A sly glint flashed in her eyes.
"Unless you can beat me."
Lin Qiu raised an eyebrow.
"Beat you?"
Bibi Dong was a Titled Douluo with Twin Martial Souls.
In this world, she stood at the pinnacle of combat strength.
Even with the Covering Sky Method at his command, challenging her at his current level would be a struggle.
After all, the gap in levels was still there.
Seeing him hesitate, Bibi Dong's lips curved slightly.
A smug smile crossed her face.
"Don't worry, Mom won't bully you."
"I'll suppress my Soul Power to level seventy-two."
"And I'll only use my first seven Soul Skills."
"As long as you can hold out against me for the time it takes an incense stick to burn—or force me back half a step—"
"I'll let you go out."
Lin Qiu's eyes lit up.
A fight between equals?
Was there anyone in this world who dared to fight the Nine-Nether Ao as an equal?
Forget level seventy-two.
Even against a Great Emperor of the same rank, he'd dare to take them on.
"Mom, you said it."
"A gentleman's word—"
Bibi Dong chuckled softly.
"—is as good as a team of horses."
She had absolute confidence in herself.
Even with her cultivation suppressed,
she still possessed the battle instincts of a Titled Douluo, along with the terrifying foundation brought by her Twin Martial Souls.
And then there were those two Hundred Thousand Year Soul Bones.
Among those of the same rank, she was invincible.
No matter how monstrous Lin Qiu's talent was, he was still just a twelve-year-old child.
Ginger might be spicy, but the old ones were spicier.
Before you continue